Teddi Esko is entering her 12th year as the Head Coach of the Rio Hondo women’s volleyball team. Esko, a native of Long Beach, graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. While attending Wilson High School, she participated on the varsity volleyball and soccer teams. She earned all CIF first team honors, Moore League MVP and team MVP. Following high school, Coach Esko earned a Division 1 scholarship to Arkansas State University. She played four years as an outside/right side hitter, helping her team win two Sun Belt Conference Championships and a berth to the NCAA tournament. Coach Esko earned a B.S.E. in Kinesiology and Health from ASU. After her collegiate career, she attended California State University Dominguez Hills and obtained a Masters Degree in Administration and Physical Education. Coach Esko came to Rio Hondo after coaching for both the Boys and Girls Volleyball Programs at Magnolia High School in Anaheim. Coach Esko, along with her sister Coach Lesli Washington started the first boys’ volleyball program at Magnolia High School in 2002. In the Spring of 2005, Coach Esko and Coach Washington led the Magnolia Boys Team to their first ever Orange league championship and to the second round of CIF Playoffs. They continued that success in the 2006 season.
Esko has over 25 years of volleyball experience, playing, coaching, instructing and coordinating. Esko was the Assistant Director for Club Beach Junior Girls Volleyball Club in Long Beach for 4 years. And also worked for the City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation, & Marine Department in the Sports Office coordinating Adult Volleyball Leagues and was the head beach volleyball instructor for six years. She currently coaches for Ohana Athletic Club assisting with their Beach Volleyball Club.
On a personal note:
She coaches against her father Larry Chowen (former volleyball player at Long Beach State), who is the head women’s volleyball coach at Chaffey College. Teddi still actively participates in volleyball, playing in indoor leagues, grass and beach tournaments and resides in Huntington Beach with her husband and two daughters.